F 

1376 
.1 

TJ 


VOL.  XXV,  No.  6 


WASHINGTON 


JUNE,  1914 


THE    HOME   OF   A   FORGOTTEN    RACE 

Mysterious  Chichen  Itza,  in  Yucatan,  Mexico 

BY  EDWARD  H.  THOMPSON 

FORMERLY  U.  S.  CONSUL  AT  I!ERIDA,  YUCATAN 


THE  ruined  group  of  Chichen  Itza, 
on    the    Peninsula    of    Yucatan, 
Mexico,  covers  a  space  of  fully  3 
£  square  miles.    Over  all  this  wide  territory 
-  are  scattered  carved  and  squared  stones 
Jin  countless  thousands,   and   fallen   col- 
y  umns  by  the  hundreds,  while  the  form- 
4  less  remains  and  outlined  walls  of  huge 
J  structures   fallen  into   ruin  are  seen  on 
^every  side. 

Seven  massive  structures  of  carved 
stone  and  adamantine  mortar  still  tower 
erect  and  almost  habitable.  Their  fa- 
,  T  gades,  though  gray  and  haggard  with  age 
^and  seamed  by  time,  sustain  the  claim 
'that  Chichen  Itza,  in  the  Americas,  is  one 
iof  the  world's  greatest  monuments  of 
Antiquity. 

The  heart  of  most  of  the  cities  of  an- 
jquity  was   a  castle  or  temple;  in  this 
_  *eat  American  monument  the  heart  was 
a  castle  and  a  temple — both  in  one. 

As  this  is  a  popular  descriptive  article, 
rather  than  a  technical  one,  I  shall  try  to 
restrain  my  always  present  desire  and  in- 
ject only  enough  figures  to  give  adequate 
conceptions  of  size  and  distance. 

A  terrace  as  broad  and  level  as  a  plain 
is  raised  10  feet  or  more  above  the  sur- 
rounding surface,  built  up  with  rubble 
and  finished  with  a  lime  cement — hard, 
white,  and  durable.  On  this  man-made 
plain  was  built,  among  other  structures, 
a  pyramid  of  nine  terraces  (see  page 


586),  each  faced  with  inlaid  paneled 
stonework  and  well  finished. 

On  each  of  the  four  inclined  faces  of 
this  pyramid  a  stairway  was  built  in 
feet  long  and  28.7  feet  wide,  with  104 
steps  rising  from  the  base-level  up  to  the 
crowning  platform. 

Each  of  the  four  angles  of  the  pyramid 
is  formed  by  the  undulating  body  of  a 
great  stone  serpent.  Descending  from 
the  crowning  platform,  each  undulation 
of  the  body  marks  a  gradient,  a  terrace 
plane,  while  on  each  side  of  the  northern 
stairway  a  serpent  head,  with  wide-open 
jaws,  carved  from  a  single  mass  of  lime- 
stone, rests  on  the  plane  beneath.  A 
strong  man  cannot  hope  to  lift  the  small- 
est stone  that  goes  into  the  making  of 
this  serpent  body. 

THE:  CASTLE:  TEMPLE: 

All  this  is  simply  of  the  base,  the 
preparation  for  and  the  leading  up  to  the 
building  proper,  the  Castle  Temple  (see 
page  586).  This  temple  is  not  large, 
measured  by  the  standards  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  or  even  by  that  of  those  ancient 
builders.  Like  the  heart  of  the  human 
body,  it  was  not  large  but  important. 

Built  on  the  level  platform  that  crowned 
the  pyramid,  it  is  itself  only  43  feet  by  29 
feet,  with  a  narrow  level  space  around  it 
on  the  platform's  outer  edge  barely  wide 
enough  for  two  to  walk  abreast  in  safety. 


,  i 

T-  ~7 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 
THE  GREAT  PYRAMID  TEMPLE  OF  CHICKEN  ITZA,  IN  YUCATAN,  MEXICO 

"On  the  roof  are  ornaments  of  carved  stone  cut  in  curious  angles  and  placed  like  battle- 
ments. These  probably  served  as  shelters  to  the  fighting  men  and  protection  to  the  priestly 
watchers  of  the  stars  and  planets  as  they  traced  the  celestial  orbits  and  read  the  omens  this 
revealed"  (see  text,  pages  585  and  587). 


586 


THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


587 


On  the  north,  facing  a  few  degrees 
east  of  north,  is  the  Ceremonial  Stair- 
way, with  its  two  great  serpent  heads 
leading  up  the  pyramid  to  the  entrance 
of  the  sanctuary. 

Thick  stone  pillars,  fashioned  always 
in  the  conventionalized  serpent  form, 
sustain  the  carved  and  paneled  fagade 
above  the  entrance  to  the  outer  corridor 
and  inner -chamber,  the  sanctuary  of  the 
temple.  In  the  semi-gloom  of  this  sanc- 
tuary are  two  square  pillars  of  stone, 
each  supporting  massive  twin  beams  of 
thick  sappte  wood  richly  carved.  These 
in  their  turn  help  to  support  the  strange 
triple-vaulted  roof  of  the  chamber  (see. 
page  588).  Sapote  wood,  like  the  East 
Indian  teak,  is  as  strong  and  almost  as 
durable  as  stone. 

Wooden  beams,  stone  pillars,  and  en- 
trance posts  are  all  carved  in  low  relief 
(see  page  589).  Symbols  and  human 
figures,  some  in  mask  and  bearded,  and 
all  clothed  in  ornate  regalia,  with  strange 
weapons  and  the  flowing  plumes  of  the 
quetzal,  cover  their  paneled  surfaces. 

The  symbol  of  the  feathered  serpent— 
the  body  of  the  rattlesnake,  covered  with 
the  plumage  of  the  quetzal  bird — was  to 
this  old  civilization  what  the  Cross  was 
to  the  Christian  an4  the  Crescent  to  the 
Saracen. 

Under  this  symbol  the  culture  hero 
Kuk-ul-can  (Feathered  Serpent)  of  Yu- 
catan, Quetzacoatl  of  the  Aztecs  and 
earlier  people,  was  first  reverenced,  then 
deified  and  worshipped. 

Most  of  the  carvings  on  stone  surface 
were  painted,  but  the  wooden  lintels, 
carved  or  plain,  were  apparently  dull 
finished  in  their  own  natural  color — a 
rich  red  brown. 

On  the  south,  east,  and  west  a  single 
high-vaulted  but  narrow  chamber  was 
formed  [-shaped,  with  sapote  lintels  and 
carved  doorways  facing  each  of  the  stair- 
ways. 

Large  serpent  masks,  each  flanked  by 
sunken  paneled  squares,  are  the  only  or- 
naments of  these  three  facades,  and,  ex- 
cept that  on  the  western  fagade,  are 
placed  directly  over  the  entrances.  The 
mask  of  this  western  fagade  is  several 
feet  to  the  south  of  the  entrance. 

This  was  not  a  random  work,  neither 


did  the  conformation  of  the  structure 
make  this  lack  of  symmetry  a  necessary 
fault. 

Is  it  true  that  the  ancient  builders  of 
the  East  were  wont  to  leave  one  stone 
missing  or  one  carving  misplaced  in  an 
otherwise  perfect  work  because  only  the 
Supreme  One  should  produce  perfection? 

On  the  roof  are  ornaments  of  carved 
stone  cut  in  curious  angles  and  placed 
like  battlements.  These  probably  served 
as  shelters  to  the  fighting  men  and  pro- 
tection to  the  priestly  watchers  of  the 
stars  and  planets  as  they  traced  the  celes- 
tial orbits  and  read  the  omens  thus  re- 
vealed. 

THE)   HOUR   OF   SUNRISE 

The  writer  stood  upon  the  roof  of  this 
temple  one  morning  last  December  just 
as  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  reddened  the 
distant  horizon.  The  morning  stillness 
was  profound.  The  noises  of  the  night 
had  ceased  and  those  of  the  day  were  not 
yet  begun.  All  the  sky  above  and  the 
earth  below  seemed  to  be  breathlessly 
waiting  for  something — just  waiting. 
Then  the  great  round  sun  came  up  flam- 
ing splendidly,  and  instantly  the  whole 
world  sang  and  hummed.  The  birds  in 
the  trees  and  the  insects  on  the  ground 
sang  in  a  grand  Te  Deum. 

Nature  herself  taught  primal  man  to 
be  a  sun-worshipper,  and  man  in  his 
heart  of  hearts  still  follows  the  ancient 
teachings. 

A  gentle  breeze  sprang  up,  and  then  he 
seemed  to  be  upon  a  sea-bound  rocky 
promontory,  high  above  all  things.  The 
calm  sea  surface  stretched  away  to  where 
the  sky-line  met  it,  and  there  they  fused 
into  an  opalescent  something,  seemingly 
born  of  the  union  of  a  rainbow  with  the 
white  sea-foam. 

The  sun  rose  higher  and  the  sea  of 
mist  dissolved  into  nothingness.  In  its 
place  was  an  ocean  of  verdure,  with  a 
foam  of  bright  blue  flowers,  the  bloom 
of  the  jungle  morning  glory.  As  he  de- 
scended the  steps  worn  by  the  sandal 
tread  of  a  thousand  years,  he  thought : 
"Can  this  world  show  a  more  beautiful 
sight?" 

From  the  northern  edge  of  the  level 
terrace  at  the  base  of  the  temple  pyra- 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 

IN  THE  SEMI-GLOOM  OF  THIS  SANCTUARY  ARE  TWO  SQUARE  PILLARS  OE  STONE,  EACH 

SUPPORTING   MASSIVE  TWIN   BEAMS  OF  THICK   SAPOTE  WOOD,   RICHLY  CARVED 

Sapote  wood,  like  the  East  Indian  teak,  is  almost  as  strong  and  durable  as  stone.    Note  the 
warrior  with  his  elaborate  head-dress  carved  on  the  column   (see  page  587) 


588 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 
WOODEN   BEAMS   AND   ENTRANCE   POSTS   ARE  ALL    CARVED   IN   LOW   RELIEF 

"Wooden  beams,  stone  pillars,  and  entrance  posts  are  all  carved  in  low  relief.  Symbols 
and  human  figures,  seme  in  mask  and  bearded,  and  all  clothed  in  ornate  regalia,  with  strange 
weapons  and  the  flowing  plumes  of  the  quetzal,  cover  their  paneled  surfaces"  (see  page  587). 


589 


590 


THE  NATIONAL  GEOGRAPHIC  MAGAZINE 


mid  a  raised  causeway,  25  feet  wide  and 
macadamized,  extends  northward  300 
yards  or  more  to  the  Sacred  Well. 

THE   SACRED    WELL    INTO    WHICH    PRISON- 
ERS  AND    MAIDENS    WERE   THROWN 

This  was  the  Sacred  Way,  and  in 
times  of  pestilence  and  drought  solemn 
processions  of  priests,  devotees  with  of- 
ferings, and  victims  for  the  sacrifice 
wound  between  the  snake-head  columns 
down  the  long,  steep  stairway  of  the 
temple  and  along  the  Sacred  Way  to  the 
dreadful  Sacred  Well  (see  page  591). 
The  weird  music  of  the  flute  and  the 
shrill  notes  of  the  whistle  mingled  with 
the  droning  boom  of  the  sacred  drum  as 
the  priests,  the  devotees  with  their  offer- 
ings, and  the  nobles  grouped  themselves 
on  the  brink  of  the  well. 

Then  from  the  platform  beside  the 
shrine  the  offerings  from  far  and  near 
were  tossed  in,  and  finally  the  prisoners 
of  war  and  beautiful  maidens,  drugged 
with  the  sacred  ambrosia  Balche,  were 
thrown  into  the  jade-colored  waters  as 
expiatory  offering  to  an  offended  deity. 

Could  this  deep  old  limestone  water- 
pit,  the  Sacred  Well,  be  given  a  tongue 
and  made  to  tell  what  it  had  seen,  what 
world  romance  could  equal  it ! 

Several  hundred  feet  to  the  west  of 
the  Castle  Temple,  and  on  the  same  ter- 
race with  it,  rest  two  great  parallel  moles 
of  solid  masonry  (see  page  592),  each 
275  feet  long,  34  feet  wide,  and  25  feet 
high. 

Between  these  moles  is  the  Ceremonial 
Court.  This  level  cemented  space  was 
probably  the  theater  for  the  performance 
of  certain  rites  and  games  of  a  ceremo- 
nial character,  like  the  Aztec  game  dedi- 
cated to  Tlaloc. 

This  belief  is  borne  out  by  the  fact 
that  at  a  distance  of  6  feet  from  the  level 
upper  surface  of  the  mole  two  great 
rings  of  stone  were  firmly  fixed  by  means 
of  tongues  into  the  perpendicular  wall 
surface  directly  opp'osite  each  other. 

One  of  these  rings  had  either  fallen 
out  of  its  place  by  its  own  weight,  or 
more  probably  was  dug  out  by  native 
honey  seekers,  and  now  lies  prostrate, 
but  whole,  on  the  ground  beneath.  The 
other  yet  stands  out  boldly  from  the 


sheer  wall  surface,  and  the  entwined  ser- 
pents carved  on  its  annular  faces  are  still 
clearly  visible. 

To  the  north  and  south  of  these  great 
moles  are  the  half-ruined  remains  of  two 
small  temple  structures  (see  page  594). 
Shrine-like,  they  seem  to  guard  the  en- 
trance to  the  Ceremonial  Court ;  but  they 
themselves,  their  carved  walls  and  col- 
umns time  worn  and  beafen,  are  fully 
exposed  to  the  wear  of  the  elements. 

THE  TEMPLE  OF  THE  TIGERS 

On  the  southern  end  of  the  eastern 
mole  rests  an  edifice,  like  a  casket  hold- 
ing jewels,  that  in  time,  as  the  fact  be- 
comes known,  will  be  in  itself  the  object 
of  distant  pilgrimages. 

It  is  known  as  the  Temple  of  the  Ti- 
gers (see  page  595)  from  the  zone  band 
of  handsomely  designed,  artistically  exe- 
cuted jaguars  that,  alternating  with 
shields,  ornaments  the  southern  face. 

Of  course,  it  is  understood  that  the 
term  "tiger"  is  a  misnomer  as  applied  to 
the  great  Felidse  in  America;  the  jaguar 
and  not  the  tiger  is  meant.  The  term 
"tigre,"  meaning  tiger,  was  probably  first 
carelessly  given  by  Spanish  adventur- 
ers to  the  jaguar  from  Asia,  and  the 
name  was  thus  wrongly  perpetuated  in 
America. 

The  entire  front  of  the  Temple  of  the 
Tigers  has  disappeared.  Fractured  and 
wedged  apart  by  the  growing  tree  roots 
at  the  apex  of  the  roof,  the  overweight 
of  the  richly  carved  fagade  toppled  it 
over  into  the  space  beneath,  where  it  still 
lies  in  a  formless  mass. 

Two  large  serpent  columns,  with  open 
jaws  and  bulbous  teeth,  are  still  in  place. 
These  once  helped  to  sustain  the  fallen 
fagade,  and  probably  served  as  the  mass- 
ive fulcrum  that  tossed  the  mass  of 
stone  and  lime  free  from  the  platform  in 
front  down  on  the  level  floor  of  the  Cere- 
monial Court.  These,  like  all  the  other 
serpent  columns,  are  carved  in  the  con- 
ventionalized crotalid  shape  and  covered 
with  the  conventional  quetzal  plumes. 

The  square  end  pilasters  of  the  outer 
entrance  to  the  inner  chamber  are  en- 
tirely covered  with  sculptures  in  low  re- 
lief. Like  those  upon  the  pilasters  and 
columns  of  the  Castle  Temple,  the  prin-  ^ 


Piioto  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 

THE  SACRKD  WELL  INTO  WHICH  PRISONERS  OP  WAR  AND  BEAUTIFUL  MAIDENS  WERE 

THROWN 

Could  this  old  limestone  water-pit,  the  sacred  well,  be  given  a  tongue  and  made  to  tell  what 
it  has  seen,  what  world  romance  could  equal  it ! 


591 


ft.       **.      -71 


<S     o 

s 


<    £ 

s;  '= 

f* 

K 

o 


<  o 

*  fe, 

^  co 

<  rt 
W  fe 
W 

O  M 


592 


THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


593 


cipal  motive  on  each  panel  is  a  human 
figure  elaborately  costumed  and  bril- 
liantly painted. 

MAYAN    MURAL    PAINTINGS 

The  wall  surface  of  both  chambers 
bear  traces  of  having  been  once  covered 
with  mural  paintings.  Those  on  the 
walls  of  the  outer  chamber  have  become 
entirely  obliterated  by  the  erosive  action 
of  the  elements.  Those  on  the  walls  of 
the  inner  chamber  are  in  part  obliterated 
by  the  excreta  of  bats,  and  still  more  by 
the  vandal  hand  of  man. 

Enough  yet  remains  to  make  this  little 
chamber  the  repository  of  the  best-pre- 
served examples  of  the  mural  paintings 
of  this  ancient  Maya  race  at  present 
known. 

The  best-preserved  portion  represents 
a  battle  scene.  The  attacking  party,  with 
atlatls,  spears,  and  shields,  are  seemingly 
assaulting  a  city  or  some  large  center. 
Above  the  battlefield  can  be  seen  tier 
upon  tier  of  houses,  and  amid  them  are 
women  in  agonized  postures,  looking 
down  upon  the  fighting  warriors. 

To  one  side  is  the  symbolical  figure  of 
Kuk-ul-can,  with  lightning-like  yellow 
flames  issuing  from  his  mouth,  the  sign 
of  defiance  and  also  of  war.  Many  other 
scenes  and  portions  of  figures  are  de- 
picted, but  the  battle  scene  is  the  clearest 
of  them  all  at  present.  The  figures  are 
done  in  a  clear,  easy  style,  vigorous  and 
true. 

Belonging  to  this  same  temple,  but  on 
a  lower  level  and  built  against  the  east- 
ern wall,  is  a  chamber  22  feet  long  by  10 
feet  wide  and  15  feet  high. 

The  front  of  this  chamber  also  is  de- 
stroyed, and  in  practically  the  same  way 
as  that  of  the  upper  chamber.  A  portion 
of  the  end  walls  and  a  large  part  of  the 
rear  still  remain  upright  (see  page  596), 
and  the  superb  wall  sculptures  they  hold 
upon  their  surface  are  fortunately  still 
left  for  study  and  comparison. 

Clear-cut  features,  well-worked  de- 
tails, artistically  executed  and  well  car- 
ried out,  show  the  skill  and  spirit  of 
these  ancient  artists.  The  carvings  clearly 
represent  the  performance  of  some  re- 
ligious rite  or  ceremonial  dance.  En- 
twined about  the  series  of  masked  and 


conventional  figures  are  the  serpent  sym- 
bol, that  of  the  sun  and  apparently  that 
of  rain  and  water. 

Description  is  nearly  useless  in  such 
cases  as  this ;  only  photographs  or  draw- 
ings can  adequately  represent  the  work. 

The  figures  were  originally  painted  in 
the  conventional  colors,  with  the  ever- 
present  deep  red  background. 

Portions  of  the  two  richly  carved 
square  pillars  that  once  helped  to  sus- 
tain the  fallen  front,  and  between  them 
a  rigid  conventionalized  "tiger,"  seem- 
ingly a  kind  of  ceremonial  seat,  complete 
all  that  is  now  visible  of  this  chamber. 

Half  ruined  as  it  is,  the  Temple  of  the 
Tigers  is  a  treasure  and  a  boon  to  stu- 
dents of  the  Maya  civilization. 

A    MAYAN    PRISON 

South  of  the  Temple  of  the  Tigers 
lies  the  beautiful  little  structure  known 
to  the  natives  as  the  Chichen  Chob,  the 
Prison  (see  page  598),  probably  the  most 
perfect  existing  unit  of  ancient  Maya 
architecture.  The  pyramid  supporting 
and  the  stairway  leading  up  to  it  are  al- 
most intact,  the  angles  and  faces  of  the 
edifice  itself  almost  perfect. 

Within  the  chambers  some  of  the 
wooden  cross-beams  are  still  in  place,  the 
mural  paintings  on  the  hard  -  finished 
walls  are  evident,  although  nearly  ef- 
faced ;  but  the  long  band  of  well-carved 
hieroglyphics  that  extend  entirely  across 
the  wall  opposite  the  doors  is  as  perfect 
and  delicately  clear  as  if  carved  but  yes- 
terday. 

To  the  southeast  lies  the  Round  Tower 
(see  page  600),  a  strange  structure, 
unique  in  plan  and  outline.  This  edifice 
rises  like  a  turret,  40  feet  and  of  equal 
diameter,  from  near  the  center  of  a  ter- 
race, 20  feet  high,  220  feet  long  by  150 
feet  wide. 

HUMBOU>T'S  SURPRISE 

Its  purpose  is  at  present  unknown ;  but 
from  its  construction,  annular  chambers, 
winding  stairway,  and  the  position  of  its 
outlooks  and  outlets  I  believe  it  to  have 
been  an  observatory,  an  edifice  devoted 
to  the  study  of  the  celestial  bodies.  It  is 
known  that  the  ancient  American  calen- 
dar system  was  so  accurately  developed 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 

ONE  OF  THE  TWO  SMALL  TEMPLES  WHICH  SEEM  TO  GUARD  THE  ENTRANCE  TO  THE 
CEREMONIAL  COURT    (SEE  PAGE  590) 


594 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 


THE  TEMPLE:  OF  THE  TIGERS 


The  band  of  handsomely  carved  jaguars,  alternating  with  shields,  can  be  discerned  near 
the  top  of  the  building  (see  page  590).  "Half  ruined  as  it  is,  the  Temple  of  the  Tigers  is 
a  treasure  and  a  boon  to  students  of  the  Maya  civilization"  (see  text,  page  593)- 


595 


t     -^^».«r 


596 


THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


that  Alexander  Von  Humboldt  was  for 
a  time  incredulous  of  its  native  origin. 

The  learned  ones,  the  wise  men  among 
these  people,  were  astronomers,  not  mere 
star-gazers,  and  there  are  those  among 
the  Mayas  at  the  present  day  that  have  a 
surprising  native  knowledge  of  the  celes- 
tial geography,  as  well  as  of  curious 
properties  of  certain  roots  and  herbs  on 
the  earth  beneath. 

The  present  conical  form  of  this  edi- 
fice, the  shape  of  its  chambers,  and  above 
all  the  peculiar  inner  stairway  winding 
around  a  solid  center,  have  caused  the 
natives  to  call  it,  in  their  vernacular. 
"The  House  of  the  Snail,"  and  this  name 
in  its  Spanish  dress  clings  to  it  now.  As 
the  Caracol  (Snail)  it  is  best  known  to 
the  people  of  the  region,  and  under  this 
name  it  is  shown  to  the  curious  and  the 
visitors  from  afar. 

THE:  "NUNNERY" 

Nearly  half  a  mile  to  the  south  of  the 
Castle  Temple  rises  the  majestic  pile  of 
the  "Nunnery"  (see  page  602).  How  far 
this  name  accurately  indicates  the  original 
purpose  of  the  edifice  is  not  known;  but 
we  do  know  that  among  these  ancient 
people  a  certain  social  organization  ex- 
isted, resembling  in  a  modified  form  the 
societies  of  monks  and  nuns. 

How  much  or  how  little  of  truth  is  in 
the  name  we  may  not  know,  but  the  edi- 
fice itself  is  probably  the  most  ancient  of 
all  the  structures  now  standing.  How 
old  no  one  knows ;  but  the  fact  is  evident 
that  the  central  portion  of  the  structure 
was  old  and  time  worn  before  the  pitted 
surface  and  dulled  angles  were  buried  in 
the  plastic  mass  of  the  newer  masonry. 
Then  in  time  this,  too,  was  hidden  under 
the  present  walls,  new  and  clear  lined 
then,  but  now  gray  and  seamed  by  time 
and  the  elements,  and  this  is  a  land 
where  the  ice  never  forms,  the  frost 
never  rises,  and  dryness  is  more  evident 
than  dampness  or  moisture. 

The  fagades  of  these  later  portions  of 
the  great  mass  of  stone  and  lime  are 
wonderful  examples  of  carved  stonework 
and  ancient  American  symbolism.  I 
doubt  if,  taken  as  a  whole,  their  equal  ex- 
ists. The  photographic  views  show  this 
in  a  measure,  and  only  in  a  measure. 


The  true  beauty  of  the  carvings  and 
the  perfect  proportions  of  the  structure 
can  never  be  fitly  shown  until  the  debris 
that  now  hides  the  base  and  destroys  the 
true  symmetry  of  the  edifice  is  removed. 
This  work  should  be  done  by  competent 
direction  under  supervision  of  the  gov- 
ernment. 

Two  small  one-storied  edifices,  in  the 
nature  of  detached  wings,  are  on  the 
right  and  left  of  the  building  proper. 

One,  known  as  "La  Iglesia"  Church,  is 
still  quite  perfect,  and  the  symbolical  fig- 
ures encrusted  on  its  richly  worked  fa- 
cade have  long  been  objects  of  study 
to  the  student  and  of  curiosity  to  the 
profane. 

The  other  is  a  still  smaller  structure 
of  ordinary  design  and  no  apparent 
points  of  special  interest. 

A  wide,  steep  stairway,  with  the  very 
narrow  steps  and  risers  common  to  the 
work  of  sandal-wearing  people,  leads  up 
to  the  important  second  story.  This  por- 
tion of  the  structure  sets  back  from  the 
face  of  the  lower  one,  thus  leaving  an 
open  level  space  of  some  30  feet  wide, 
broken  in  front  half  way  by  the  stairway 
leading  up  to  the  third  story. 

The  lateral  northern  face  of  this  up- 
per second  story  has  two  true  entrances 
into  perfect  chambers  and  four  large  re- 
cesses in  the  front  walls  that  are  either 
blind  doorways  or  once  true  entrances 
into  chambers  formerly  existing  in  the 
original  structure,  but  later  filled  up  to 
make  a  solid  foundation  for  a  third  story 
directly  above.  When  this  was  done  the 
doorways  remained  as  simple  niches,  and 
over  these  a  flying  buttress  (see  page 
603)  was  thrown  as  a  stairway  to  the 
newer  structure  above.  This  is  my  hy- 
pothesis, subject"  to  modifications  that 
future  investigations  may  make  neces- 
sary. 

The  stone  lintels  over  every  entrance, 
existing  or  blind,  built  into  this  face  of 
the  end  walls  are  covered  with  hand- 
some, still  legible  glyphs.  Clearly  legi- 
ble indeed,  but  as  unreadable  as  a  sealed 
book. 

Undeciphered  and  mysterious,  they 
are  the  pleasure  and  despair  of  those  who 
seek  to  solve  the  problems  that  they  hold. 


ON 


598 


THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


599 


All  the  chambers  within  this  second 
story  of  the  edifice  have  within  the  wall 
spaces  opposite  the  entrances  various 
niches  about  the  height  of  the  entrances, 
but  narrower.  None,  even  the  smaller 
chambers,  have  less  than  two,  and  the 
long,  narrow  middle  chamber  on  the 
south  face  has  five. 

These  may  have  been  doorways,  origi- 
nally giving  entrance  into  the  primitive 
structure,  closed  when  the  central  por- 
tion was  made  into  a  solid  core  ;  but  vari- 
ous circumstances,  among  them  being  the 
presence  and  position  of  the  recesses  in 
the  walls  of  the  end  crnmber,  cause  me 
to  throw  aside  this  hypothesis.  To  me 
they  have  all  the  appearances  of  having 
been  true  niches. 


THE    RECORDS    OF    THIS    ANCIENT 

WERE   DESTROYED   BY  THE   SPANIARDS 

They  give,  in  the  mind  of  the  student 
of  these  old  structures,  the  appearance 
of  having  been  repositories.  Perhaps 
within  these  niches  were  stored  the  rolls 
of  parchment,  the  folded  books  on  deer- 
skin and  agave  paper,  the  plans  and  rec- 
ords, and  all  the  written  lore  of  this  city 
of  the  Maya  wise  men,  the  "Itzaes." 

Who  knows  but  their  contents  formed 
part  of  that  funereal  pyre  of  ancient 
Maya  literature  made  by  the  zealot, 
Bishop  de  Landa,  on  the  Mani  common. 

De  Landa,  seeing  on  these  old  rolls  of 
deerskin  and  volumes  of  maguey  paper 
signs  that  he  could  not  read  and  symbols 
that  he  could  not  understand,  concluded 
that  they  were  cabalistic  signs  of  a  dia- 
bolical nature,  and  caused  them,  together 
with  many  other  objects  of  inestimable 
value  to  science,  to  be  destroyed  by  fire 
on  the  public  square  in  the  Pueblo  de 
Mani. 

At  that  time  the  old  chroniclers  tell  us 
there  were  destroyed  5,000  idols  of  dis- 
tinct forms  and  sizes,  13  altar  stones,  22 
stones,  carved  and  of  small  sizes  ;  27 
rolls  of  ancient  hieroglyphics  on  deer- 
skin, 197  vases  of  all  sizes  and  patterns, 
and  many  other  unrecorded  objects. 

An  ancient  Spanish  chronicler  states 
naively  that  the  natives  who  witnessed 
the  destruction  by  fire  were  much  af- 
flicted and  made  a  great  outcry  of  woe. 

Is  it  to  be  wondered  that  they  made  a 


great  outcry  of  woe?  They  saw  not  only 
the  sacred  things  calcining  in  the  fervent 
heat,  but  also  the  written  lore,  accumu- 
lated knowledge  of  their  race,  going  up 
in  smoke  and  red  cinders.  Naturally  the 
thinking  ones  among  them  "made  great 
outcry." 

Around  the  corners  and  on  the  un- 
broken portions  of  the  smooth,  hard  fin- 
ish in  the  recesses  are  traces  of  broad 
red,  blue,  and  green  bands  forming  the 
paneled  outlines  for  the  detail  figures 
within.  On  the  ceiling  in  places  are  still 
the  fragmentary  outlines  of  houses,  trees, 
city  walls,  and  nondescript  animals. 

On  the  inner  walls  of  the  eastern  end 
chamber  can  be  clearly  seen  the  impress 
of  the  "red  hand,"  another  of  the  un- 
solved problems. 

The  third  upper  story  is  small  and  pre- 
sents the  idea  of  incompleteness,  although 
its  state  of  ruin  prevents  the  last  word 
being  said  until  excavation  and  investi- 
gation have  taken  place  under  some  com- 
petent person. 

The  last  and  least  important  of  the 
seven  structures  yet  standing  is  the  so- 
called  "House  of  the  Dark  Writings." 
The  structure  is  a  huge  one-story  edifice. 
Large  forest  trees  grow  over  its  flat  roof, 
and  were  it  not  for  its  vertical  wall  faces 
of  well-carved  stone  one  could  easily  be- 
lieve that  he  was  treading  the  primeval 
forest  floor. 

The  name,  Akab  tzib,  House  of  the 
Dark  Writing,  was  given  to  it  by  the  na- 
tives because  in  the  gloom  of  an  inner 
chamber  can  be  seen  a  lintel  of  stone, 
covered  with  glyphs  and  having  on  its 
under  surface  a  seated  figure  in  the  act, 
apparently,  of  offering  up  some  kind  of 
burnt  sacrifice. 

This  ends  the  list  of  the  still  existing 
structures;  but  the  wonders  to  be  seen 
prostrate  and  those  hidden  have  not  yet 
been  mentioned. 

We  have  not  mentioned  the  sepulchers 
of  the  high  priests,  90  feet  beneath  the 
crown  of  the  pyramid,  50  feet  in  the 
solid  rock;  the  rock  carvings;  jaguars 
carved  on  the  ledge  surface ;  the  great 
natural  well  from  whence  this  ancient 
city  received  its  water5  supply ;  the  caves, 
with  their  prehistoric  defenses,  stalac- 
tites, grottoes,  and  pools  of  clear,  cool 


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THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


601 


water— these  and  many  other  things  we 
have  the  desire  to  depict  and  describe, 
but  time  and  space  forbid. 

WHEN    WAS    THIS    CITY    FOUNDED? 

How  old  is  this  great  city  of  stone- 
built  temples  and  myriad  carvings?  For 
years  we  have  sought  among  its  fallen 
columns  and  toppled  walls  for  that  which 
would  tell  us  clearly  of  its  age. 

To  a  certain  extent  the  search  has  not 
been  in  vain.  We  have  found  a  tablet 
of  stone  covered  with  hieroglyphs,  and 
among  them  are  signs  that  fix  a  date,  an 
epoch.  Keen  minds  and  trained  are  now 
at  work  on  the  tablet,  and  the  time  may 
not  be  far  distant  when  we  shall  know 
whether  it  be  2,000  years  old  or  less,  as 
some  students  claim,  or  over  11,500 
years,  as  claimed  by  L,e  Plongeon. 

The  margin  between  the  two  "guesses" 
is  certainly  wide  enough. 

Meanwhile,  like  the  Sphynx  in  the 
East,  the  gray,  old  human  faces  carved 
high  on  the  massive  walls  gaze  down  un- 
changingly, unmindful  of  modern  man 
and  his  futile  guesses. 

We  have  perhaps  more  information  on 
the  early  history  of  this  ancient  group 
than  we  have  of  any  other  center  of  the 
Maya  civilization. 

But  as  that  keen  scholar,  the  lamented 
Dr.  Thompson,  was  fond  of  impressing 
upon  his  pupils,  "Gentlemen,  informa- 
tion may  or  may  not  be  facts,  and  unless 
it  be  of  proven  facts  is  not  knowledge." 
Even  "information"  concerning  these 
ancient  builders  and  their  buildings  is 
only  too  scanty,  and  actual  proven  facts 
still  more  so. 

THE    LEGEND    OF    CHICHEN    ITZA 

The  earliest  information  concerning 
Chichen  Itza  is  given  in  a  curious  docu- 
ment found  by  Don  Juan  Pio  Perez,  a 
Yucatan  scholar  and  antiquarian,  among 
the  dusty  old  records  and  archives  in  the 
Town  Hall  of  Mani. 

The  document  commences  thus :  "Lai 
u  tzolan  katun  lukci  ti  cab  ti  yotoch 
Nonoual" — I  might  continue  on  in  this 
way  for  some  time,  but  all  might  not  un- 
derstand the  text  as  clearly  as  could  be 
wished.  In  fact,  the  fear  of  a  sudden 
'/.-.re  of  relations  between  writer  and 


reader  induces  me  to  forego,  and  in  place 
give  a  broad  interpretation  of  the  an- 
cient writings  in  those  parts  where  allu- 
sion is  made  to  Chichen  Itza. 

Translated,  the  document  commences 
thus,  the  brackets  being  my  interpola- 
tions : 

"This  is  the  series  of  epochs  that 
elapsed  from  the  time  of  their  departure 
from  the  house  of  Nonoual  in  the  land 
of  Tulapan. 

"Then  took  place  the  discovery  of 
Bacalar.  Sixty  years  they  ruled  in  Baca- 
lar,  when  they  came  here. 

"During  these  years  of  their  govern- 
ment of  this  province  of  Bacalar  oc- 
curred the  discovery  of  Chichen  Itza. 
1 20  years  they  ruled  in  Chichen  Itza. 
when  they  left  it  and  went  to  Champu- 
tun,  where  the  Itzaes,  holy  men,  had 
houses. 

"260  years  reigned  the  Itzaes  in  Cham- 
putun,  when  they  abandoned  it  and  re- 
turned in  search  of  their  homes. 

"For  several  epochs  they  lived  in  the 
woods  and  the  caves,  under  the  unin- 
habited hills. 

"After  forty  years  they  returned  to 
their  homes  (Chichen  Itza)  once  more, 
and  Champutun  knew  them  no  more. 

"Two  hundred  years  they  reigned  in 
Uxmal,  Chichen  Itza,  Mayapan.  The 
governor  of  Chichen  Itza  (Chac  xib 
chac)  was  deposed  because  he  mur- 
mured disrespectfully  against  Tunac-eel, 
the  governor  of  Mayapan.  Ninety  years 
had  elapsed,  but  the  tenth  of  the  8th 
Ahau  was  the  year  in  which  he  was  over- 
thrown." 

The  unknown  native  writer  keeps  on; 
but  I  will  stop,  as  he  mentions  Chichen 
Itza  no  more. 

Neither  the  name  nor  the  history  of  its 
writer  is  known ;  but  from  the  perfect 
command  of  both  the  native  vernacular 
and  the  Spanish  letters  it  would  seem  to 
have  been  the  work  of  an  educated  na- 
tive and  written  within  a  few  decades 
after  the  conquest.  This  would  not  be 
strange,  for  many  bright  young  natives, 
sons  of  the  nobles  and  of  the  reigning 
families,  were  taken  by  the  church  or  by 
high  lay  officials  and  educated  in  Spanish 
learning. 

Thus  Caspar  Antonio  Xiu,  the  lineal 


'  I 


602 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 

OVER  THESE  A  FLYING  BUTTRESS  WAS  THROWN  AS  STAIRWAY  TO  THE  NEWER  STRUC- 
TURE ABOVE  (SEE  PAGE  597) 


descendant  of  the  last  king  of  Mayapan, 
was  taken,  baptized,  and  educated  by 
Montejo,  the  conqueror  of  Yucatan  and 
its  first  governor. 

THE    ANCIENT    MAYAS    HAD   THEIR    BARDS 

AND  STORY-TELLERS 

The  ancient  Mayas,  like  most  other 
races,  had  their  bards  and  story-tellers, 
who  interwove  into  their  songs  and  tales 
the  history  of  their  people. 

Thus,  I  repeat,  it  is  not  strange  if 
some  educated  native  filled,  like  the 
gifted  Tescucan  Ixtlilxochitl,  prince  and 
writer,  with  the  desire  to  perpetuate  the 
fading  history  of  his  people,  had  recourse 
to  the  device  of  writing  out,  as  his  mem- 
ory served,  their  early  wanderings  and 
ancient  history,  and  then,  with  native  sub- 
tlety, to  hide  the  documents  under  those 


longest  filed  away  and  in  archives  likely 
to  be  safe  and  undisturbed  until  times 
far  later. 

There  is  a  legend  of  Chichen  Itza  that 
has  seemingly  more  of  the  material  of 
true  history  in  its  making  than  legends 
are  usually  thought  to  have.  At  all 
events,  it  is  genuinely  romantic  and 
worth  repeating. 

THE  LEGEND  OF  CANEK 

Canek,  the  impetuous  young  ruler  of 
Chichen  Itza,  was  deeply  in  love  with  a 
beautiful  maiden,  daughter  of  the  ruler 
of  a  distant  province.  No  longer  were 
his  thoughts  on  the  coming  hunt  of  the 
jaguar;  the  wild  boar  passed  grunting 
and  unharmed,  even  unnoticed,  as  the 
young  ruler  sat  musing  on  a  fallen  log. 
A  fawn,  chased  by  the  hunters,  became 


604 


THE  NATIONAL  GEOGRAPHIC  MAGAZINE 


entangled  in  a  snare  close  beside  him  as 
he  sat  motionless,  happily  musing.  See- 
ing that  its  big,  soft  eyes  were  like  those 
of  the  maiden  he  loved,  he  loosed  its 
bonds  and  set  it  free. 

In  the  midst  of  his  amorous  musings, 
as  he  sat  in  his  chamber  one  day,  a  dust- 
covered  runner  came  up  to  the  palace 
entrance  and  rattled  the  sounding  shells 
before  the  curtains  for  instant  entrance 
on  the  ruler's  service. 

The  news  he  brought  drove  the  young 
ruler  to  desperation. 

The  Batab  of  a  neighboring  province, 
and  one  far  more  powerful  than  he  of 
Chichen  Itza,  had  married  the  maiden 
that  Canek  was  to  take  to  wife. 

For  a  while  no  raging  jaguar  robbed 
of  his  mate  was  more  furious  than 
young  Canek;  then  of  a  sudden  he  grew 
quiet,  cool,  and  seemingly  calm. 

So  his  warriors  remembered  to  have 
seen  him  when  they  fought  an  old-time 
enemy,  killed  his  fighting  men,  and  de- 
faced his  temple,  and  they  patiently 
waited. 

The  night  came  and  with  it  a  brooding 
norther.  Darkness  as  black  as  the  hate  • 
in  the  heart  of  Canek  was  all  around  the 
silent  ranks  of  the  swiftly  moving  war- 
riors. The  lightning  flashes,  as  sharp 
and  hot  as  the  asiger  that  flamed  in  the 
Canek's  breast,  played  over  the  glinting 
points  of  crystal  on  the  moving  forest  of 
lances  as  they  neared  the  enemy's  city. 

The  ever-burning  flames  on  the  top  of 
the  distant  temple  gleamed  redly,  and 
black  smoke  went  heavenward  in  in- 
creasing volume  as  the  priests  burnt 
great  baskets  of  copal  in  honor  of  their 
ruler's  marriage. 

Canek  and  his  silent  warriors  came 
swiftly  onward,  melting  into  the  dark- 
ness of  the  shadows,  hiding  from  the 
lightning  flash,  leaping  ahead  like  deer 
when  chance  offered.  Revelry  had  taken 
the  city  with  all  that  was  in  it  and  held 
it  hard  and  fast.  Even  the  watchers 
were  drunkenly  grumbling  over  the  fate 
that  kept  them  out  of  the  carousals  and 
in  the  darkness.  As  the  black  and  mov- 
ing shadows  reached  them  swiftly  they 
soon  were  quiet  and  out  of  the  darkness 
for  evermore. 


THE:    INTERRUPTED    MARRIAGE 

And  the  deer-eyed  woman — a  wife,  yet 
still  a  maiden — was  she  happy  ?  Oh,  who 
knows !  It  may  be  that  her  eyes  were 
not  pain  shadowed ;  that  it  was  but  the 
dim  light  of  the  wild  wax  tapers  in  the 
narrow  vaulted  chamber,  and  it  may  be 
that  which  glistened  on  her  drooping 
lashes  was  but  the  flashing  of  stray  light 
beams  from  between  the  entrance  cur- 
tains. Who  knows? 

Merry  were  the  wedding  guests  and 
well  drunken  most  of  them.  More  than 
merry  was  the  bridegroom,  who  drank 
the  deepest  of  them  all.  His  brain  was 
sodden,  his  limbs  rebellious,  but  his 
tongue,  though  thick  and  clumsy,  still 
responded  to  his  call. 

Sodden  brain  and  clumsy  tongue 
worked  together  as  he  mumbled  loudly: 

"As  for  the  Lord  of  Chichen  Itza— 
poor  lean  dog — let  him  take  his  pleas- 
ure howling  at  the  moon  tonight!  Be- 
fore I  seek  my  wife's  caresses  in  her 
many-curtained  chamber,  I  must  hear  a 
lively  song.  Ehen !  Holcanes  !  Tupiles ! 
lift  your  voices  and  rattle  out  the  battle 
song." 

Drunkenly  mumbling,  stupidly  fumb- 
ling, he  rolled  on  his  side  and  fell  asleep. 

At  the  holcanes'  call  the  tupiles  started 
the  great  war  song  of  the  Mayas — "Co- 
nex,  Conex  Paleche"  ("Come  on,  come 
on,  ye  warriors"). 

The  voices  that  commenced  it  were 
well  known,  though  drunken  and  quav- 
ering; the  voices  that  joined  in  it  and 
ended  it  were  strong,  full,  and  shrilly 
menacing.  Abruptly  the  drunken  voices 
ceased  and  some  ended  with  a  groan. 

The  deer-eyed  woman,  alone  in  her 
curtained  chamber,  heard  the  voices  and 
the  singing,  and  then  the  strangeness  of 
the  tumult  drove  her  to  the  carved  stone 
entrance.  Before  she  reached  it  the 
shells  were  rattled  and  the  curtains 
parted  swiftly.  "Star  of  the  night! 
Star  of  my  life !"  said  Canek. 

"My  Lord  Canek,"  said  the  maiden, 
with  startled  eyes,  but  star  lit. 

Dead  men,  live  men,  and  the  live  men 
dead  in  drunken  stupor,  what  could  the 
few  with  senses  unbenumbed  do  against 


ill 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thompson 
A  PAGE  OF  STONE  THAT  NO  MAN   MAY  YET  READ 

"How  old  is  this  great  city  of  stone-built  temples  and  myriad  carvings?  For  years  we 
have  sought  among  its  fallen  columns  and  toppled  walls  for  that  which  would  tell  us  clearly 
of  its  age.  To  a  certain  extent  the  search  has  not  been  in  vain.  We  have  found  a  tablet  of 
stone  covered  with  hieroglyphs,  and  among  them  are  signs  that  fix  a  date,  an  epoch.  Keen 
minds  and  trained  are  now  at  work  on  the  tablet,  and  the  time  may  not  be  far  distant  when 
we  shall  know  whether  it  be  2,000  years  old  or  less,  as  some  students  claim,  or  over  11,500 
years,  as  claimed  by  L,e  Plongeon"  (see  text,  page  601). 

605 


Photo  by  Edward  H.  Thom 

PHOTOGRAPH   OF  A  HUMAN   HEAD  CARVED  IN   STONE  I   PORTION   OP  A  RICHLY  CARVED 
WALL.  SURFACE   RECENTLY  DISCOVERED   AT   CHICKEN  ITZA 

All  the  rolls  of  parchment  and  books  on  deerskin  and  agave  paper,  all  the  plans  and 
records  and  the  written  lore  of  the  mysterious  city,  Chichen  Itza,  were  burned  by  the  Span- 
ish zealot,  Bishop  de  Landa.  When  he  saw  the  Maya  symbols  that  he  could  not  understand, 
he  concluded  that  they  were  signs  of  a  diabolical  nature  and  caused  them,  together  with 
many  other  objects  containing  Maya  records,  to  be  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  public  square 
of  the  city  (see  page  599). 


THE  HOME  OF  A  FORGOTTEN  RACE 


607 


the  silent  fury  of  Canek  and  his  fighting 
men? 

Never  again  did  Chicken  Itza  know 
its  Lord  Canek,  nor  any  of  his  band  of 
fighting  men.  In  the  passing  of  a  night 
they  vanished,  the  Lord  Canek  and  the 
soft-eyed  maiden,  the  stolen  bride  of  the 
drunken  one. 

Time  passed.  The  lord  who  won  a 
bride,  but  did  not  learn  to  keep  her, 
lived  his  life,  died,  and  was  forgotten. 

The  memory  of  Lord  Canek  lived  on 
fin  song  and  story  and  became  a  part  of 
the  legends  of  Chichen  Itza. 

THE  LOST  is  FOUND 

One  day,  long  after,  a  hunting  band 
from  Chichen  Itza  went  toward  the 
south— some  days'  journey.  Young  men 
they  were  and  full  of  rashness,  so  they 
kept  on  the  chase  until  the  lane  grew 
hilly  and  higher,  and  at  last  rose  into  the 
very  clouds.  Wonderingly,  they  turned 
homeward,  journeying  over  a  strange 
country,  until  they  reached  a  lake  of 
shining  water,  and  in  the  lake  an  island 
.city,  with  houses  and  temples  and  the 
carved  fronts  of  many  buildings  like 
their  own;Chichen  Itza. 

From  this  island  city  warriors  came 
and  met  them  and  led  them  to  the  wait- 
ing ruler  and  his  aged  wise  men. 

"Who  are  you,  presumptuous  ones, 
that  you  dare  to  come  unbidden  on  our 
land  and.  unwanted  to  our  city?"  asked 
the  Batab  in  stern  menace. 

The  young  man  spoke  bravely,  coolly: 
"We  came  from  our  home,  Chichen  Itza, 
.and  have  wandered  here  unbidden  be- 
cause in  the  chasing  of  the  deer  we  went 
farther  than  we  knew ;  and,  finding  path- 
ways right  before  us,  we  kept  on,  think- 
ing to  find  old  friends  or  make  new  ones." 

The  ruler  turned  and  took  counsel  with 
his  wise  men,  then  said  to  the  waiting 
hunters:  "If  your  tale  be  true,  that  you 
are  of  Chichen  Itza  and  not  of  another 
province,  you  will  indeed  find  here  old 
friends  new  made — old  friends  and  new 
as  well. 

"This  is  the  city  of  Tayasal,  whose  lord 
is  Canek,  who  once  was  lord  of  your 
own  Chichen  Itza,  the  City  of  the  Sacred 
Well." 

This  is  the  legend.     The  substance  is 


as  told  by  the  good  old,  but  very  dry, 
chronicler,  Padre  Cogolucco.  I  confess 
to  have  taken  this  skeleton  and  put  a 
little  flesh  on  here  and  there,  just  to 
round  out  the  form — a  little  brown  and 
red,  just  to  give  a  local  coloring,  and  so 
produce  the  true  general  effect ;  that  is, 
all.  But  perhaps  I  had  better  have  left  it 
as  the  ancient  priestly  scribe  tells  it;, 
"quien  sabe" — who  knows? 

Not  all  of  the  tales  of  Chichen  Itza  are 
prehistoric  or  legendary. 

Far  later,  chronologically,  than  the  leg- 
end of  Canek,  a  proven  fact,  with  only  a 
small  portion  of  "information"  embedded 
in  it,  is  furnished  us,  and  brings  us  down 
to  the  historic  times  of  the  early  Spanish 
conquerors,  when  they  were  in  deadly- 
struggle  with  the  fearless  Mayas. 

MONTEJO    WELCOMED 

In  1525-1526  Montejo  was  weary  with 
his  long  and  seemingly  fruitless  struggles 
against  the  native  Mayas.  Constantly 
buffeted  by  his  countless  enemies  and 
having  no  place  of  refuge,  he  found  him- 
self in  imminent  danger. 

The  overlords  of  the  provinces  near  the 
coast,  known  by  the  name  of  Cheles 
(bluebirds),  were  in  a  way  friendly  to 
the  Spaniards,  and  Montejo  found  his 
way  toward  them.  The  other  Indians, 
seeing  that  the  Spaniards  were  headed 
coastward  and  thinking  that  they  were 
seeking  to  return  from  whence  they  came, 
did  not  seek  to  fight  or  in  any  way  annoy 
them;  thus  the  Spaniards  arrived  safely 
at  the  home  of  the  Batabs  Cheles. 

These  received  them  hospitably  and,  in 
response  to  the  petition  of  Montejo,  al- 
lowed them  to  find  a  safe  asylum  at 
Chichen  Itza,  then  governed  by  a  vassal 
chief,  Cupul. 

Upon  their  arrival,  Cupul,  according  to 
a  native  document,  "The  Narrative  of 
Nahum  Peck,"  said  to  them : 

"Stranger  lords,  take  your  rest  in  these 
halls,"  and  they  did;  they  made  them- 
selves very  much  at  home,  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  Spanish  conquerors  of  those 
days,  even  before  they  had  fairly  earned 
tlie  proud  title. 

For  a  time  the  Indians  bore  the  bur- 
dens that  their  guests  put  upon  them  with 
meekness,  but  at  last  they  rebelled  at 


608 


THE  NATIONAL  GEOGRAPHIC  MAGAZINE 


having  to  be  the  providers  and  burden- 
bearers  for  such  lusty  feeders  and  poor 
paymasters,  and  then  their  actions  soon 
put  the  Spaniards  in  a  serious  plight. 

Finally,  besieged  and  almost  without 
provisions,  they  took  advantage  of  a 
stormy  night  after  a  brave  sortie  to  de- 
ceive the  Indians.  One  by  one  they  de- 
serted the  edifice  used  as  their  garrison 
and  stole  away  in  the  darkness,  to  unite 
and  make  for  a  more  friendly  haven. 

DOG,  ROPE,   AND  BEXL 

It  is  said  that  to  deceive  the  Mayas  into 
thinking  that  they  were  there  they  tied  a 
dog  to  the  rope  of  a  bell  and  placed  food 
in  front,  just  beyond  his  reach.  His 
frantic  efforts  to  get  at  the  food  rang  the 
bell  at  frequent  intervals,  while  the  con- 
stant bark  aided  the  supposed  deception 
of  the  Mayas,  and  when  at  last  the  ruse 
was  discovered  the  little  band  of  Spanish 
soldiery  was  nearly  out  of  the  enemy's 
reach. 

Thus  runs  the  chronicle,  and  the  story 
may  be  true ;  but,  knowing,  as  the  writer 
does,  the  character  and  customs  of  the 
direct  descendants  of  these  same  old 
Maya  warriors,  he  does  not  believe  it.  It 
is  far  more  probable  that  these  Mayas, 
desiring  to  be  quickly  and  peacefully  rid 
of  their  burdensome  guests,  shut  their 
eyes  to  the  going  of  the  Spaniards  and 
would  have  been  the  more  obliged  to  them 
if  they  had  taken  the  bell  and  the  dog 
along  with  them  as  well,  and  so  left  the 
besiegers  to  enjoy  their  early  slumbers 
undisturbed.  The  discreetly  dropped  eye- 
lid, that  is  almost  a  wink,  and  quickly 
changes  into  a  blindness,  is  an  artful  act 
as  ancient  as  the  human  race.  In  many 


respects  the  logic  of  the  native  Maya  is 
peculiarly  his  own,  but  in  many  other 
ways  his  acts  and  artifices  are  as  old  as 
man  himself. 


The  writer  has  often  been  asked,  "After 
one  has  visited  the  ruins  of  the  Old 
World,  is  it  worth  while  to  visit  those  of 
the  New  World?" 

He  has  had  as  visiting  guests  scientists 
of  other  lands,  men  with  the  wonders  of 
Italy,  of  Egypt,  and  India  fresh  in  their 
memory,  inquisitive,  incredulous,  but  de- 
siring to  see  what  there  was  to  see. 

As  these  great,  lonely  monuments 
loomed  up  before  their  vision,  he  has 
noted  the  quick,  surprised  intake  of  the 
breath,  the  change  of  color  even,  and 
then  —  a  speaking  silence  far  more  elo- 
quent than  any  words  could  be. 

The  American  people  should  awaken 
to  the  fact  that  they  have  right  at  home, 
at  their  very  doors,  architecture  essen- 
tially American,  as  it  were,  ruined  struc- 
tures every  whit  as  interesting,  as  mass- 
ive, and  possibly  as  old  as  those  of  other 
lands,  whose  boast  it  is  that  the  Ameri- 
cans must  come  to  them,  for  "America 
has  no  ruins." 

Within  these  mysterious  ruins  —  Ameri- 
can ruins  —  are  great  books,  with  pages  of 
stone,  writ  in  characters  that  no  man  may 
yet  read.  Are  the  mysteries  they  hold, 
the  wonderful  facts,  that  certainly  lie 
sealed  and  mute  within  them,  hidden  from 
us,  less  interesting  to  Americans  than  are 
the  tales  of  Egyptian  dynasties,  the  rites 
of  Druids,  Roman  campings,  or  Saxon 
raidings  ?  I  think  not. 


STONE;  SAILS  AT  GUADALUPE,  MEXICO 


Photo  by  B.  F.  gangland 


Tradition  has  it  that  certain  sailors  who  thought  themselves  lost  in  a  storm  vowed  to  the 
Virgin  that  if  she  would  deliver  them  they  would  drag  their  mast  to  the  top  of  the  hill  at 
Guadalupe  and  set  it  up  as  a  memorial  to  her  protecting  power.  They  were  delivered  and 
fulfilled  their  vow,  building  sails  of  stone  around  the  mast  to  protect  it. 


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Photo  from  Alberto  L,.  Godojr 

ON   THK  ROAD  TO   PACHUCA,   DECORATED   HERE  AND   THERE   WITH    RUINS   OF   EARLY 

SPANISH  TIMES 

The  Conquistadores  were  great  builders,  and  in  addition  to  the  fortresses  in  and  around 
Pachuca,  one  finds  here  the  ruins  of  one  of  the  three  most  celebrated  aqueducts  in  Mexico, 
built  by  the  Franciscan  Friar  Francisco  Tembleque. 


620 


AN   OU)  MEXICAN   HIGHWAY 


Photo  by  Alberto  L,.  Godoy 


The  highways  of  Mexico  wind  in  and  out  of  mountain  passes  as  they  cross  from  one 
valley  to  another,  and  strings  of  burros  and  files  of  Indians  going  to  market  or  returning  are 
a  familiar  sight.  Pachuca  may  be  seen  in  the  distance. 


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Photo  by  D.  Basil  W.  Alexander 

ANOTHER  VIEW  OF  THE  CACTI  IN  SAN  VICENTE  CANON,  LOWER  CALIFORNIA,  MEXICO, 

SHOWING  THEIR   IMMENSE  SIZE 

Mexico  has  a  majority  of  the  more  than  500  species  of  cacti,  ranging  from  the  candelabra, 
with  its  great  branches,  which  give  it  its  name,  and  the  organ,  with  its  fluted  pipes  and 
thorns  with  saw-tooth  edges,  to  the  creeping  kinds  that  scarcely  rise  above  the  ground. 


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Photo  from  Alberto  L,.  Godoy 


POPOCATEPETL  S  CRATER 


This  crater  is  bell-shaped  instead  of  conical.  Many  thousands  of  tons  of  sulphur  have 
been  taken  out  of  it  and  the  supply  seems  inexhaustible.  The  sulphur  is  carried  up  500  feet 
by  peons,  who  climb  "chicken  ladders."  A  windlass  takes  it  the  remainder  of  the  distance 
to  the  top.  Here  the  peons  put  it  on  mats  and  slide  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  snow-line  with 
it.  The  peak  of  this  famous  mountain  is  shown  on  page  641. 


630 


Photo  from  Alberto  L.  <•« "!<>>• 


PEANUT   AND  SWKETMKAT   VENDERS 


Nature's  "original  sealed-package"  goods  find  favor  with  the  traveler  after  seeing  the 
indifference  of   the  sweetmeat  venders  to  flies   and  dust,   which   have   free   access  to  their 

offerings.  ;  '.  ,  .    .  J 


631 


Photo  and  copyright  by  Underwood  &  Underwood 

WASHING  AND  BATHING  IN  THE  STREAM  FED  BY  THE  HOT  SPRINGS  :  AGUASCALlENTES, 

MEXICO 

There  is  one.  phrase  a  traveler  always  remembers  in  Mexico — "agua  caliente."  It  means 
"hot  water,"  a  boon  that  can  be  had  only  at  a  hot  spring  or  through  the  aid  of  an  alcohol 
lamp. 


632 


MEXICAN  CHARRO  AND  HIS  HAT 


Photo  from  H.  Ravell 


What  leather  breeches  and  "chaps"  with  their  elaborate  fringes  mean  to  the  American  cowboy  of 
the  old  school,  the  big  sombrero  means  to  the  "man  on  horseback"  in  Mexico.  His  hat  may  cost  half 
as  much  as  his  horse,  and  his  sarape  may  match  the  rainbow  for  colors.  When  the  elder  Diaz  attired  his 
"rurales"  in  such  a  uniform  there  was  always  a  waiting  list. 

633 


634 


635 


THE  PYRAMID  OF  THE  SUN 


Photo  from  Alberto  L.  Godoy 


What  Cheops  is  to  Egypt,  such  is  the  Pyramid  of  the  Sun  to  Mexico. 
that  of  Cheops,  and  it  is  216  feet  high. 


Its  base  is  about  as  large  as 

All  we  know  of  its  origin  is  that  it  was  built  before  the  Toltecs 

occupied  the  Valley  of  Mexico.  According  to  tradition,  a  splendid  temple  once  crowned  its  summit, 
and  contained  a  great  monument  to  the  sun  made  from  a  single  block  of  porphyry.  Excavations  have 
revealed  galleries  and  vaults  like  those  of  Cheops,  and  Senor  Garcias  Cubas,  the  eminent  archeologist, 
says  that  a  gallery  in  the  companion  pyramid,  that  of  the  moon,  coincides  exactly  with  the  magnetic 
meridian. 


A  RURAL  GUARD  ON  DUTY 


Photo  from  Alberto  L.  Godoy 


When  Porfirio  Diaz  came  into  power  the  country  was  infested  with  robbers  from  the  mountains  to 
the  sea.  He  selected  the  best  and  made  a  rural  guard  out  of  them.  They  justified  his  hopes,  and  after 
a  while  it  became  as  safe  to  travel  in  Mexico  as  it  is  to  travel  in  the  United  States.  The  prolonged  civil 
strife  has  sadly  thinned  their  ranks,  however. 

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THE  WATER  CARRIER 


Photo  by  John  H.Hmll 


In  every  part  of  Mexico  the  water  carrier  flourishes.  He  gets  the  water  from  some  spring  or  clear 
stream,  and  the  people  seem  never  to  inquire  about  the  presence  of  colon  bacilli  and  only  a  few  of  them 
ever  boil  the  water,  which  helps  to  account  in  a  measure  for  the  high  death  rate  in  Mexico. 


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THE  SPAN  OF  AN  AQUEDUCT 


Photo  from  Alberto  L. 


Most  of  the  great  mining  centres  of  Mexico  are  located  in  the  highlands  where  rain  seldom  fz 
where  the  water  supply  must  be  brought  for  dozens  of  miles  from  the  mountains. 


648 


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Makers 


